Bespin Intervention
by LPK9
Summary: Both heroes and villains are surprised at Bespin. AU ESB crack fic. Now a two shot!
1. Chapter 1

**I don't own Star Wars in any way**

 _Cloud City_

 _Bespin_

Lando Calrissian nodded nervously at Darth Vader and strode out of the dining room to fetch Han, the princess, and Chewbacca the Wookiee.

Calrissian felt terrible about this whole mess; he and Han had a long and less than illustrious history and neither trusted the other, but selling Solo and his companions out to the Empire was stooping low even for him.

Lando sighed to himself; there was really nothing else to be done. And apparently Vader wasn't really interested in Han and his friends anyway, but some mysterious dude named Skywalker. Once Skywalker showed up, everything would be Ok. Han could go on his way, and perhaps the supremely gorgeous Leia would be interested in staying over for a few days to see the sights of Cloud City. Most importantly, the Empire would leave Bespin alone.

Lando hoped.

He took a deep breath and plastered a confident look on his face. He was a con man from way back and could exude confidence with the best of them. Given Han's excellent aim and naturally suspicious nature, Lando had better sell this well.

(It occurred to him, not for the first time, that the whole setup was weird. Why not just flood Han and Leia's rooms with some gas and knock them out? Why have the Rebels escorted to the dining room? Why did Vader have to be so stinking dramatic?)

"Baron Calrissian?"

Lando turned with a frown, startled to discover a middle aged woman dressed in an Imperial officer's uniform at his side. She was both beautiful and short, but her eyes and expression spoke of one accustomed to command.

"Yes?" he asked a trifle weakly.

"Lord Vader sent me to make sure that you fulfill your end of the bargain," she said coldly, even as she flung a cloak around her shoulders and pulled a hood over her head. "I will stay outside in the corridor while you speak to the Rebels, and will quietly walk behind you as you guide them to the dining hall. I suggest, for your sake, you convince them of your sincerity as a devoted friend."

There was a mocking tone in the woman's voice, which only made Lando more nervous.

"Of course, of course," Lando babbled.

/

 _A few minutes later_

"I've just made a deal that will keep the Empire out of here forever," Lando said, putting his hand up to push the entrance button.

The giant door into the dining hall slid open, and Han and Leia looked up to see Darth Vader rise menacingly to his feet.

Chewbacca howled even as Han pulled his blaster from its holster and began firing his weapon toward the two meter Sith Lord. To his shock and disbelief, the blasts deflected as if off an unseen shield; an instant later, the blaster was yanked out of his hand to fly into Vader's gauntleted hand.

"We would be honored," the deep bass voice stated sarcastically, "if you would join us."

A moment later, the bounty hunter Boba Fett strode out of an alcove, his blaster clutched in his hands.

Behind the Rebels, a squad of stormtroopers filled the hall behind them, even as a slight robed figure walked up behind Lando.

Han shot Lando his meanest look.

"I had no choice. They arrived right before you did. I'm sorry," Lando said rather miserably. He really did not like this situation.

Chewbacca howled mournfully. Leia and Han exchanged grim glances as they reached out to clutch one another's hands.

"I'm sorry too," Han returned with deep foreboding.

"And I'm sorry three," the robed form behind them said in a clear voice, stepping forward into the room as she removed her hood.

Darth Vader, who had been looming in a dramatic and very self-satisfied way, took a breath out of sync with his respirator, then another breath, then ...

"Padme?!" he choked weakly.

The woman slapped the door shut with one enraged hand and then began stalking in fury toward the Sith.

"Yes, _Lord Darth Vader_ , it is indeed Padme. I am so angry at you right now that I can't even find the words, and you know I always had plenty of words. If you so much as touch one hair of Leia's head I will personally take that blasted red lightsaber of yours and cut off all your limbs. Do you understand?"

Vader took an unnerved step backwards, pushing his chair in the process.

Boba Fett, confused by the situation, brought up a blaster and trained it on the woman.

"Stop right there..." he began, then found himself hurled hard against the wall by an unseen Force even as his blaster went flying in another direction. He crumpled onto the floor, unconscious.

"Thank you," Padme said sarcastically, "I guess if you can't kill me, your pet bounty hunter isn't allowed to, huh?"

"Padme," Vader said again, "Padme, you...you're dead."

The woman rolled her eyes, "No, I am not dead. Rough delivery yes. Coma and semi-coma for 9 years after the delivery, yes. But I'm alive and well now, and totally pissed off with you. The Death Star? The torture chamber set up two floors down? For my daughter? How _dare_ you!"

Vader stared at her without comprehension, then at Leia, who looked totally bewildered, then back at his estranged wife.

"The child was a boy."

Another eye roll.

"One of the children was a boy, yes. The other was a girl. Luke, Leia? Those were the chosen names. Does that ring any tuning crystals? I gave birth to one of each so I named them Luke and Leia. It's not atomic science."

"What?!" Leia squeaked in shock, taking a step forward, her eyes wide with incredulity.

Padme turned around now, her outraged expression altering rapidly to one of love, affection, and sympathy, "My dear Leia, what a shock this all must be! Please let me introduce myself. My name is Padme, and I'm your biological mother."

Leia felt her mouth go slack and just barely managed to close it in time to prevent herself from drooling.

"Um, Ok. So what was that about Luke...?"

"He's your twin brother, Leia. You didn't know that?" the woman asked gently."

Leia's eyes bugged out in horror and bewilderment, "No, that's impossible! I mean, yes, I know we were both adopted and both share a birthday that falls on Empire Day but it can't be! We don't even look alike!"

Padme moved swiftly over to her daughter to raise a gentle hand to the young woman's cheek, "My dear, you are the very image of me when I was your age, and Luke is ... well, based on the holos I've seen, he's the image of Anakin. And genetics are complicated."

Leia screwed up her face in horror, "I kissed him!"

"Who?" Padme asked.

"Luke! On Hoth. Oh yuck!"

"Yuck indeed," her mother said with a wrinkled nose, then continued more calmly, "But er...you aren't ... er...in love I hope?"

"No no no!" Leia replied with relief, as she cast a fond glance at Solo.

"Well, the kiss is hardly your fault, is it? Kenobi's fault yes, your fault no."

She glanced over at Vader now, "You did kill Obi-Wan, correct?"

The cyborg stared at her in a dazed way before muttering, "Yes."

"Well, that means I can't pick him up and shake him 'til his teeth rattle," she said angrily, "And I really want to. Honestly, all this stupid secrecy! You'd think that after the mess that was our marriage that people would realize that where Skywalkers are concerned, big family secrets aren't wise."

"Your marriage was secret?" Leia asked in a puzzled tone, her eyes wide, "To ... er ... Anakin Skywalker, I assume? Who was, uh, my biological father?"

"Yes, indeed," Padme said, her eyes suddenly growing far away and sad, before she focused in on her daughter, "He was a great guy, and I loved him to death. And then he lost his mind and became this two meter disaster of a cyborg standing at the end of the hall here."

Leia just looked at her for 48 seconds.

"What?" she whispered finally.

"Darth Vader, formerly Anakin Skywalker," Padme said with an irritable wave at her husband, "I know, it's a mess. He's a mess. And evil, and homicidal. I don't know what happened to him. I mean, he really was fabulous and we were very happy together for several years but no, he had to lust for power and turn to the Dark Side and strangle me and nearly kill me, and you twins as well..."

"I did it for you, Padme!" Vader cried out suddenly, "I saw your death in visions! Palpatine assured me I could save you through the Dark Side! I did it for you!"

"Dear Sarlacc of Tatooine, Anakin," Padme said with a weary shake of her head, then turned to her daughter and companions, "Why don't you sit down while your father and I talk, Leia. And your companions as well, of course."

She glanced up and down the table with open disgust, "You're a lousy host, Calrissian. Where's the food? I mean really nice table, with plates and glasses, and basically no food."

Lando shot a nervous glance at Vader, "Um, Lord Vader..."

"Oh, I see, dramatic denouement in the dining room but the prisoners won't actually eat, of course. Get some food in here."

Calrissian looked at Vader, but Vader was obviously lost in his own head and incapable of supplying direction.

With a sigh, he tapped in some commands into his wrist com, and sat down across from Leia and Han and Chewie, who had all seated themselves as far away from Vader as possible.

Padme, on the other hand, marched boldly over to Vader, sat down, reached over, and grabbed the black clad arm, "Sit down, Anakin. You looming over everyone is annoying."

Leia blinked. 'Annoying' was not the word she would use for Darth Vader, but her mother obviously had her own perspective of the man.

"Leia, this is impossible," Solo murmured softly, "It must be some kind of trick. This can't be your mother..."

Leia's eyes suddenly filled with tears and she pressed Han's hand, which she had been clutching for the last several minutes, "It _is_ true, Han. I ... I have always remembered my biological mother's face and this is my mother!"

In spite of the situation, Solo grinned, "So Luke's not a rival anymore, then."

Leia looked at him lovingly, "No, he's not. But truthfully, I don't think he ever was, really. I've felt really connected to him since the day we met, but I guess that makes sense now since we're...we're twins!"

"But if this is your mother," Solo said even more quietly, "Does that mean...Vader...?"

Leia grimaced openly and took a drink of water, "I'll think about it, and probably vomit over it, later. Now we have to focus on the situation at hand."

"Right."

At the other end of the table, Padme and Vader stared at one another until Vader managed to force words out of his dry and bewildered mouth, "Where have you been all these years, Padme?"

"Where have I been?" Padme repeated, "Ok, that's a reasonable and good question. So first, as I'm sure you remember, you strangled me on Mustafar. I lost consciousness and Kenobi hauled me off to Polis Massa. The twins were born there and I went into a coma. I was shipped off to my parents who hid me for 9 years while I progressed from coma to near coma to in and out to totally fine mentally except for being an emotional disaster. I'm very thankful for counselor droids and my colo claw plushie, because my mess of a life was too complex to discuss with a human counselor, especially with the Empire wreaking havoc across the galaxy. Not surprisingly, I kept a very low profile. Given that my family had no knowledge of twin babies, I came to the horrifying conclusion that both had died after birth thanks to prematurity and oxygen deprivation in the womb."

Vader openly flinched at this, "I'm sorry, Padme. I never meant to hurt you. I wanted to save you!"

"You're an idiot, Anakin," Padme said coldly, "A complete idiot. How anyone could trust Palpatine to save me by killing a bunch of innocent children in the Jedi temple is beyond my comprehension, though..." and here her face grew softer, "I'm not an idiot and I did trust him too. He was very compelling back in the day. Anyway, to continue..."

She leaned forward now and poured herself a drink of water, just as several droids appeared from behind Vader, all bearing trays piled with food.

"Eat up, Leia, and Solo and Chewbacca as well," she advised firmly, "In the middle of a war, always take time to eat."

Leia raised her eyebrow at this, but obediently reached out as the trays were lowered to the table and began putting food on her plate. After a moment, Han and Chewie followed suit.

Padme turned back to Vader, "So there I was, my husband and children dead, since I assure you I had no idea that Lord Darth Vader, who was stalking around terrifying everyone, was my husband. With time on my hands and my brain cells mostly intact, I began working on a supply and trading company in the Far Outer Rim and even into the Unknown Regions. It was a success, and now is quite a thriving company. Dalam Enterprises – perhaps you've heard of it?"

Vader stared at her with incredulity, "Dalam? Of course I have. You ... you're working for Dalam Enterprises?"

"I _am_ Dalam Enterprises, its leader, I mean," his wife replied. She glanced at her daughter, "Leia, can you pass me down some of that Quinto bread?"

Calrissian reached out and lifted a plate of the bread, hurried down, and placed it before the former Queen of Naboo, "Allow me."

"Thanks, Calrissian," she said drily, "You're a rotten friend, by the way."

"Er..."

She turned back to Vader now, "So yes, my life was sad but fulfilling, and then the Death Star was destroyed and Luke Skywalker appeared on the top of the Imperial Most Wanted posters. My powerful brain came to the reasonable conclusion that our son had survived. And since he had lived, likely Leia had as well. So I did a search around for prominent Leias, and found our daughter, adopted by Bail Organa, a close friend of mine, who looks so much like me that you'd have to be blind to miss it."

Vader's helmet dipped now, "I did not ... it did not occur to me..."

"No, of course not," she continued, "I considered trying to find the Rebel base but it didn't seem wise. At that point, I still thought my husband was dead and Darth Vader was after my son because of the destruction of the Death Star."

She looked down now, and for the first time her voice choked, "And then I was up one night analyzing supply routes and I caught Palpatine's stupid speech on Empire Day and you were in the background for like 2 hours, and all your tells were there. The way you stood, the way you looked around the room, checking exits, even the way you hovered protectively over that blasted ruin of a dictator. I couldn't believe it, didn't want to believe it, but I went back and watched hours of holo on you, on Darth Vader, and it was totally clear to me. And then it all made sense. Mustafar. Lava planet. I assume you and Kenobi fought, and you were burned?"

Darth Vader's hands clenched painfully for a long moment, and then he nodded, "Yes."

"I'm sorry, Anakin. I hate who you are and what you've done, but I'm sorry you were injured," she said, her voice suddenly filled with compassion, "Is it very bad?"

He said nothing, but shifted uncomfortably. He didn't need pity from anyone. Not even his ... his wife...his Padme. He had thought her dead for more than 20 years.

"I have missed you so much, Padme," he blurted out suddenly.

She laid a hand on his arm now, "I've missed you too, Anakin. The real you, I mean, not this burned out husk of a man who is full of violence and destruction and hatred."

She sighed, then continued with determination, "I received intel when the Rebel base on Hoth was found, and of the _Executor_ 's frantic search for the _Millennium Falcon_ , which made me think Luke was probably on board. Obviously I was wrong about that. I managed to get here to Bespin about the same time you did, scouted out the place, discovered our daughter was in danger, and here I am."

Her husband stared at her with a mixture of disbelief and awe, "You have spies aboard my ship?"

She raised an eyebrow, "Contacts, Anakin, contacts. Not spies. Most of them are of the loose lips blow up starships variety. It's amazing what you can figure out from supply orders and routes these days."

Her chin lifted now with determination, "So this is basically an intervention, Anakin. You've lived the last 23 years doing your best to destroy the galaxy, and our family with it. Are you willing to alter the course of your life, or are you going to kill me and our daughter and our son when you get your hands on him...?"

"No," Vader interrupted quickly, "No. I just want to be together, Padme. That's all I ever wanted."

"Well, then," she said with her glorious smile, "Let's kill Palpatine, shall we?"

"It cannot be done, Padme. He is too powerful...at least without Luke's help. Or perhaps ... perhaps Leia's help? Sidious is most formidable in the Force."

Padme grimaced in open irritation, "Anakin, it's not all about being a Force sensitive. I have Dalam Enterprises and contacts all over the galaxy. The Rebel Alliance is an entity to be reckoned with. Luke...yes, of course I want to meet, and be with, Luke, but he has his own life and is doing his own thing right now. As for Leia, I want you to let her go, and her companions as well."

"That is completely out of the question, Padme," Vader said urgently, "It isn't a safe galaxy out there, and our daughter needs protecting ..."

"Your pet bounty hunter is waking up, Anakin," she interrupted, as Boba Fett staggered slowly to his feet.

"Boba Fett," she said with a diplomatic smile, "My apologies for the smashing against the wall by Anakin. I haven't seen you since Geonosis, and a lot of sand dunes have shifted on Tatooine since then."

The clone stared at her incredulously, then croaked in amazement, "Padme Amidala."

"Indeed," she said with a grin, "And Lord Vader is my husband, Anakin Skywalker. Your father Jango Fett came pretty close to assassinating me a few times, and you've obviously followed the same career path. I am sorry about Geonosis for your sake, though. I have no doubt it was quite traumatic as a child to have your father's head chopped off in front of you..."

"Um..." Fett responded, with an obviously shocked glance at Vader.

"Listen," Padme continued, stepping around the table to approach the bounty hunter, "You've got a great reputation and we need a good hired gun. Perhaps we can work something out..."

Solo firmly closed his mouth and turned toward Leia, "Your mother is amazing, Leia."

She smiled, mistily, "Yes, she is."

/-

 _Dagobah_

 _Early morning_

Luke Skywalker woke up with a broad smile across his face.

The sun was just rising, though he naturally couldn't see the sun, what with the thick cloud cover and all. As usual, it was hot and very damp, and a light rain was starting to fall. Small bugs were flying around him, and he absently brushed them away with the Force even as he carefully inspected his boots for snake surprises before putting them on.

He was, he realized, completely happy.

"Good sleep you had, young Skywalker?" his master asked, suddenly at his side. The old Jedi Master had a tendency of popping up abruptly, and Luke was no longer startled by it.

"Yes, a very good sleep," the youth responded with a grin.

"Nightmares you did not have?" Yoda probed more directly.

Luke heaved a sigh of relief and ran a hand over his face, "Thankfully, no, Master. Those horrible dreams of Leia and Han and Chewie in pain are gone completely. It must have just been some weird manifestation of my concern for them, I don't know. No..."

His voice trailed away and he looked out over the swamp, even as his eyes misted slightly.

"I had the most amazing dream, Master," he said huskily, "Of a glorious house, on a large lake. And my ... it was my parents, Master! They were standing on a terrace under a tree, with rays from the sun dappling the ground. My mother was in white and my father was in Jedi robes, and there was a priest. It was their wedding. They were so happy together. It was beautiful, Master."

The old Jedi stared at his young pupil for a long moment, and nodded, "A good dream indeed, young one."

"Well, I need to start my training for the day," Luke said, leaping cheerfully to his feet, "Can I eat some root stew first?"

"Go, eat you must!" Yoda said, gesturing towards his small hut. Luke nodded and ran off.

"There is a great disturbance in the Force," Obi-Wan's ghost announced, appearing suddenly next to the ancient Jedi.

"Sense it I do as well," Yoda agreed softly, "A shift toward the Light. Much has changed in the last day..."

The End

 _Author Note: The Padme of this story is a variant of the Padme in my current ongoing story Dalam Enterprises, obviously with some significant differences. But I am not going to write more because the basic story going forward would be somewhat similar to Dalam Enterprises. Many thanks to my husband for editing for me!_


	2. Chapter 2

_Dagobah_

 _1 week later_

Luke Skywalker liked being upside down.

He felt his connection to the Force strengthened while meditating in general, but felt especially tied into its potent flow when his head was down and his feet were up.

He had asked Master Yoda about this one day and the old elf had claimed it was something about additional focus involved in balance, but Luke thought it might well have more to do with the additional blood rushing to his head.

At any rate, it was nice.

He took a deep breath, then another, then another. A meter away, he sensed R2 begin his daily float in the air, along with the accompanying indignant electronic shrieking.

"Oh be quiet, R2," Luke ordered. "I don't even drop you like I used to."

"That is indeed excellent progress," an unknown voice suddenly announced.

Luke promptly did drop his droid, even as his own body collapsed sideways and he found himself lying in the mud, thoroughly bewildered. An instant later, he had sprung to his feet and was staring, open mouthed, at the shimmering blueish ghost standing confidently in front of him.

It was indeed a Force ghost, Luke knew that, but beyond that he was uncertain of this person's name or nature. Was he a Jedi? Possibly a ... Sith? (Luke shuddered slightly.)

"My apologies for startling you," the robed man said with a cheerful smile, "Qui-Gon Jinn, at your service."

"Er ..." Luke said hesitatingly.

"Not be here you should!" Yoda snapped, appearing (as usual) out of nowhere.

Luke heaved a deep sigh of relief. He wasn't alone now with the weird specter who was ... evil?

"Try and make me leave, Master Yoda," Jinn said with an ephemeral, and clearly snarky, smile.

"Master Jinn!"

Now it was Obi-Wan Kenobi who had appeared.

"Obi-Wan, my dear friend," the specter said in a pleased voice. "It has been rather a long time!"

Luke relaxed slightly, "You know Obi-Wan?"

"Oh yes!" Jinn returned enthusiastically. "Indeed, I was his master back in the day. It's been more than 30 years since I sadly fell to the blade of a Sith Lord, but we had a wonderful working relationship."

"Why shouldn't he be here?" Luke asked his Master in bewilderment, even as he stretched out his Force sense. To his relief, the ghost clearly emanated the Light side of the Force.

"I _should_ be here," Jinn responded firmly, "regardless of what you say, Master Yoda. For I bear exciting news!"

Luke noted, in a puzzled way, the exchange of glances between Master Yoda and Obi-Wan.

"Very well," Yoda said in a clearly crabby tone. "To my hut we must go, if fit your giant body we can in there. Luke, continue exercise you must."

"Oh no no no," Jinn said with a wry twist of his eyebrows. "You aren't getting me away from my great-grand-padawan that easily."

"Your who?" Luke asked in a puzzled tone.

"I'm your great-grand-master so to speak, young Luke. I was Obi-Wan's master, and he was your father Anakin's master, and you are Anakin's son."

There was a long pause while the three other sentients pondered this.

"I don't think that quite makes sense, Master Jinn," Luke said politely. "I mean, if my father had trained me, I'd be your great – grand ... whatever maybe, but he couldn't since he's dead and all."

This was said with grief on the young face, and Kenobi shot a nervous glance at Jinn.

"We will discuss all that in a moment but for now, let me speak openly to you all. I have thrilling information. Padme has returned!"

Luke stared into the shimmering eyes, then stared at Kenobi who looked shell shocked, and Master Yoda, who was looking disapprovingly at Obi-Wan.

"Thought I in coma she was," the short green thing said pointedly.

"Um, I ... ah ... she was," Kenobi stammered. "As of, oh I guess it has been quite a long time ... 15 years ago? And with Tatooine being remote and my domicile even more remote, and my fear that ... er ... the Empire might find her, I confess I haven't checked in on her for ... many years."

Yoda glowered some more, then turned his gaze on Jinn, "What mean you that back she is?"

Jinn apparently had spaceship loads of experience dealing with the ancient Jedi's peculiar speech patterns, because he responded immediately, "Back, as in totally cognizant, active, sharp tongued, and brilliant as usual. She can't see me, of course, but Anakin has been a conduit for her more snarky comments. She said, apparently, that she'd like to shake Obi-Wan 'til his teeth rattle."

Luke gasped aloud, "You've ... you've talked to my father, Master Jinn? Can, uh, can I do that? I mean, can he appear like you can?"

His intent gaze was distracted suddenly and he saw Master Yoda begin grimacing hideously at his side.

"Are you all right, Master?" he asked worriedly, dropping to one knee.

"He's quite all right," Jinn said in a clearly amused tone. "He's merely trying to convince me to stop talking. But I won't. Young Luke, your father is not dead."

Luke swiveled his head around at this completely ridiculous statement, then his upper body, then his knee locked and he fell over in the mud. Again.

An instant later he was up on his feet, staring at the newcomer ghost.

"Wh...a...a...t?" he stammered.

"You should not deceive the boy," Kenobi said, his voice deep with sorrow. "Anakin is indeed dead. That shattered shell is no more Anakin Skywalker than I'm a vine snake."

"He is not dead," Jinn returned triumphantly, "Because Padme is not dead, and she has returned, and Anakin with her."

The blueish forehead creased and then he continued, somewhat reluctantly, "Well, he has sort of returned."

Luke's mind was a whirl of confusion and bewilderment and disbelief, but he managed to push out one useful question.

"Who is Padme?"

There was a pause.

"Your mother she is," Yoda finally said, softly.

"He doesn't even know his mother's name?" Jinn asked, sounding perturbed.

"Well, he never really asked," Kenobi said weakly.

"I did ask, Aunt Beru and Uncle Owen, I mean," Luke retorted indignantly. "And they said they didn't know. I guess ... I guess I didn't ask you though, not that we had a lot of time ..."

He turned now to look at the three solemn faces before him, before focusing on Jinn. He, at least, seemed more willing to provide answers.

"My mother is alive."

Jinn nodded and put a comforting, if weightless, hand on his shoulder, "Indeed, she is. She was gravely ill after the birth, and was in a coma for many years. Sadly, she didn't know that you had survived the birth and when she awoke from her weakness, she moved to the Far Outer Rim and even to the Unknown Regions in pursuit of a life away from the Empire's reach."

Luke's blue eyes widened hopefully, "And she ... she found my father there?"

"No ..." Jinn said, and for the first time he seemed reluctant. The head bowed slightly before the apparition said gravely, "No, young Luke, Anakin Skywalker became Darth Vader, and he is your father."

Luke blinked. Then blinked again.

"What?" he asked blankly.

"Darth Vader is your father," Jinn said slowly and clearly.

Luke continued to stare, his forehead creased horribly, before the truth hit him.

The poor old ghost was demented, obviously. That made sense. The guy had been dead for, what had he said, 30+ years? That would make him pretty old, and old people sometimes did get weird and confused.

"Ok," Luke replied soothingly.

Jinn looked surprised, "Well, you took that very well, I must say."

"Yes, that is very interesting, and I appreciate you telling me," Luke said kindly.

Qui-Gon looked startled, then indignant, "You think I'm insane? Is that it?"

Luke hesitated and shot a glance at his two masters. Neither of them seemed inclined to help him, so he continued, carefully, "No, not crazy at all, Master Jinn. Just ... well, you've been dead a long time so some confusion is perhaps not surprising?"

Jinn shook his head in apparent disbelief, "Ask Master Yoda if Vader is your father."

Luke glanced at Yoda, who had a rather wooden look on his face. This must be so embarrassing for everyone. Poor old specter.

"Ok," Luke said patiently, "Master Yoda, is Darth Vader my father?"

There was a long pause, Yoda wiggled his walking stick in the ground nervously, and then he said, "Your father he is."

Luke was already glancing wearily at Jinn but now turned back in disbelief to Yoda, "Um, what?"

"Your father he is," Yoda said more loudly.

"But truly, Anakin is dead, only Vader remains," Kenobi began.

"No, Anakin is not dead, Obi-Wan!" Jinn said indignantly.

"Darth Vader is my father?!" Luke yelped aloud, "My father? Darth Vader, the big cyborg dude who is cruel and horrible and has that gigantic alive only bounty on my head ..."

He trailed off now, his eyes growing even larger, "That's why the bounty is alive only, isn't it? He ... I'm his son ... he ..."

"He probably wants you as an apprentice to help overthrow Palpatine," Kenobi said, his eyes full of sorrow. "It is the way of the Sith ..."

"You are not listening to me!" Jinn said irascibly. "Anakin is returning, or at least Darth Vader is changing! I can appear to him, for one thing, and I couldn't for years. Trust me, I tried! And oh my, when he found out Princess Leia was his daughter he turned into the most overprotective father you can imagine ..."

"WHAT!?" Luke screamed so loudly that Yoda dropped his gimer stick in astonishment.

Obi-Wan actually took a few tottering steps back, "I'm sorry, Luke. That is, I'm afraid, another family secret. Princess Leia is your twin sister."

Luke stared at him, then at Yoda, then at Jinn, then he shook his head in distress.

"Vader tortured her on the Death Star! Leia hates him! Our family is a _mess_!"

And now Luke Skywalker's eyes grew wide in horror.

"And Leia _kissed_ me ..." he muttered, "That's just icky!"

The blue eyes turned their accusing gaze on Obi-Wan Kenobi, and Luke took three menacing steps forward, "This is your fault, Ben. You should have told me on Tatooine! We've gone on highly emotional missions together, and you didn't tell us we are siblings! Thankfully she fell for Han, everyone knows that, but it could have been a disaster. And Vader? How could you tell me that he betrayed and murdered my father when he _is_ my father. That is just ... that is just crazy and wrong!"

Obi-Wan had been retreating and now turned and began hurrying into the swamp, with Luke chasing him determinedly

"Don't even think about disappearing, Ben! We need to talk about this whether you want to or not!"

Yoda regally lifted his wrinkled face to the sky, ignoring both Kenobi and Luke.

"Speak to Vader you can, hmmmm?" he asked Jinn.

"Yes, Master Yoda," Qui-Gon replied, his eyes crinkled with amusement. He, at any rate, was watching Luke Skywalker's pursuit of Kenobi.

"Interesting it is ... indeed changed much has..."

/-

 _Hanger Bay #5_

 _The Executor_

 _In Orbit around Bespin_

 _1 week later_

Han, puffing slightly, stopped next to Leia and took her hand. The hanger was empty except Chewbacca, who was behind him, and Vader and Padme Dalam, who were a comforting 10 meters away, which meant he could talk to Leia somewhat privately.

"So," Han said softly to Leia, "you said it was an emergency. What's going on?"

Leia turned toward him, her gaze solemn, "Luke is coming here."

The Corellian's brow furrowed, "How do you know that?"

Leia sighed, "Padme and I were just having breakfast while you were sleeping, and Vader was doing his usual looming thing because you know, he wouldn't want to let Mother out of his sight. Then he started talking to some ghost in the corner, a guy named Qui-Gon Jinn, a Jedi who died at the beginning of the Clone Wars. Jinn apparently said he told Luke all about the insanity that is our family, and Luke is coming here."

She nodded briskly and gazed out into the darkness of space. There were lots of stars, but no random X-wing in sight.

"A ghost," Han repeated feebly.

A small smile appeared on the face of his love, "Yes, or specter. Whatever you prefer."

"Specter, right," the former smuggler repeated, then shot a guarded look at the Sith who stood next to Padme. Both of them were staring out into space, and it seemed they too were conversing quietly.

"Any chance he's lost his mind?" Solo asked abruptly. "I mean really, a _ghost_?"

Leia looked at him shyly, hesitantly, then said, "I saw him too, Han. Qui-Gon Jinn, I mean."

Han blinked, "You did?"

"Yes. He was blue and shimmery but definitely there."

"And he said Luke was coming?"

The princess sighed, "Well, I couldn't really hear him. Apparently I need more training to actually hear him? I mean, I _could_ hear him, but I couldn't make out his words. It was all mumbly and soft. He was really cute, but I couldn't understand what he was saying."

"Cute?" Han asked rather indignantly.

"Not cute like you are, Han," she assured him quickly. "Cute in an old style Jedi robes, bearded, dead sort of way. Anyway, Vader said that Jinn said that Luke is on his way."

"So if Luke doesn't show up, then ..."

"We go back to our prison cell, I guess," she returned with a sly smile. The 'prison cell' in question was equivalent to a six circle hotel, and while the doors were locked to keep random people out, all its occupants had keys. Padme had been very insistent about that, and Vader, after some argument, had agreed.

"I will say this," Han said even more softly, "Vader seems very attached to Padme."

Leia glanced over to her biological parents, "He's over the top crazy about her."

Padme glanced her way, smiled reassuringly, then turned back to her Anakin.

"It's Ok, Ani. I'm nervous too."

"I am not nervous," the deep bass voice intoned firmly.

"You are twitching your right ring finger, Anakin. You always do that when you are nervous."

Vader looked at his wife with a mixture of disbelief and awe. How did she know all this, when _he_ didn't?

"We _are_ married, Anakin, so of course I know your reactions," she responded as if reading his mind, which was even more unnerving.

She smiled now, her blazing, loving smile, and he instantly felt calmer. Yes, Padme knew him, but he didn't have to feel threatened, because she loved him and wanted what was best for him.

And the twins. And the galaxy. Which meant the arguments between them would continue. But he knew with complete certainty that his wife didn't want to manipulate or use or control him, unlike his Master.

(Fortunately the old despot was almost completely focused on the new Death Star and had largely ignored him the last month. Since Padme had torn into his life with the impact of a comely comet, he'd had but one conversation with the old man; it had been entirely one sided as Palpatine had spent a full 30 minutes telling his irritable apprentice about the color scheme for his Throne Room on the Death Star. Sidious had been quite proud of the fact that it was ... black. Like any other color was even possible?)

"I'm nervous too," Padme confided now. "I haven't seen Luke since he was a few minutes old. What if he doesn't like me?"

"Of course he will like you," Vader replied in surprise, "everyone does! Except, I suppose, for the people who tried to assassinate you, or feed you to nexu, or have snakes bite you. There were a surprising number of such beings."

He ruminated darkly and continued, "It is well for them that such sentients are now out of my reach, as I'd rip each one of them apart with my bare hands and throw them to the rancors."

His wife smiled slightly at this, then her body tensed, "Is that ... is that a ship?"

Vader stretched out his Force sense and took a breath out of sync with his respirator. Yes ...

The Dark Lord hit his com to connect with the admirably competent Admiral Piett, "Admiral."

"Yes, my Lord?"

"Skywalker's X-wing approaches. Disable applicable hanger shielding and ensure that his passage is unmolested."

"Yes, my Lord," Piett responded patiently.

Vader knew he'd given instructions regarding Luke's craft ... it must be 6 times by now ... but he couldn't be too careful. Imperials were, he admitted, prone to shooting first and asking questions later.

But there were no bursts of laser fire and the X-wing approached as the occupants of Hanger Bay #6 waited with varying degrees of excitement and uncertainty.

Abruptly, Vader's eyes itched oddly. His tear ducts had bit the lava on Mustafar but he never wanted to cry, except now he did. Because 2 weeks ago he'd been obsessively hoping to see his son soon, and now his entire family would be together – his wife, his daughter, and his precious boy.

Finally, Luke's ship landed with a gentle and elegant grace, the cockpit popped open, and a moment later the dark blond youth jumped onto the floor, disdaining a ladder.

And Leia Organa was running now, running toward her friend, her _twin brother_ , and then she was in his arms, and both were laughing and, perhaps, crying a little.

"Luke, Luke!"

"Leia!"

He set her down and waved his finger at her in mock disapproval, "I am overjoyed to see you, but don't you dare kiss me, Leia!"

She grimaced in agreement, "Absolutely not. I mean really, yuck!"

"Yuck indeed!"

Solo and Chewie had reached them now and the Corellian slapped the young Jedi on the shoulder, "It's good to see you, Kid. You Ok?"

"Yes, and ... you are Ok as well?" Luke asked, with a concerned look at the two other individuals in the hanger. He was, at least, appreciative that Vader and his mysterious mother were letting this reunion with his closest friends proceed without interruption.

And there weren't three dozen stormtroopers here with blasters trained on him either. That was nice.

"I'm fine, Kid," Solo responded reassuringly, "though the whole setup is definitely peculiar. But the accommodations are 6th circle and Vader has been a far more benevolent host than was originally anticipated."

"Thanks to our ... our mother," Leia said softly, with a grateful look at Padme. "If she hadn't interfered, it would have been ugly."

"So, speaking of ..." Luke began uncertainly.

Leia clasped her hand in his and began pulling him toward their biological parents, "Come on, Luke."

He followed, hesitating. Vader he had seen once before, when Kenobi had been struck down before his eyes. But this woman was completely unfamiliar, though she looked much like an older Leia, with dark brown eyes and long hair, but with a gentler expression than his spitfire of a sister.

"Luke ..." the woman said softly, her eyes drinking up her son's face, "Oh Luke ..."

"Mother," he said hesitantly and then, giving into the prompting of his heart, he stepped forward and enfolded her in a crushing embrace.

And she returned the embrace just as fiercely, even as she began to cry, "Oh my son, my grown up son! I'm so proud of you. Now I am complete."

Over his small mother's shoulder, Luke observed Vader stepping forward, then clearly hesitating.

Luke released his mother, took a deep breath, and turned to his Dark Sire.

"Greetings ... Father."

There was a slight pause as if the man in the mask could hardly speak and then, and then, "Welcome, my son."

 _Author Note: Is this the end? I don't know. I was going to one shot it. Now I'm two shotting it. If the muse hits hard I'll add a chapter, but no promises or warnings. We'll see! Thank you, dear husband, for editing!_

 _Also, there was a Finding Nemo quote in there. Anyone catch it?_


End file.
